Indo Jazz fusion band, Raagaverse, led by singer-composer Shruti Ramani with Jodi Proznick on bass, Noah Franche-Nolan on piano and Nicholas Bracewell on drums, will release its debut album, Jaya, on Rhea Records in concert.
Doors 7:00pm
Show 7:30pm
Tickets: see below
19+/No Minors
Raagaverse celebrates the journey and personal triumphs of Shruti Ramani, a young, queer, Indian immigrant in Canada. Raagaverse highlights Shruti’s cultural background, her forays into and admiration of multiple musical genres, and her ever-growing relationship with music and the music community.
Raagaverse’s music exposes you to vibrant tapestries of the Agra Gharana, a tradition in ancient North Indian Classical (Hindustani) music, and Black-American Jazz traditions. Through her dedicated training and practice, Shruti was accepted into the Agra Gharana’s musical lineage by her guru Dr. Ritu Johri, an esteemed and knowledgeable keeper of the musical tradition. Shruti gratefully acknowledges the huge influence of Black-American music on her work after she immigrated to Canada to study Jazz.
“Jaya” is an homage to Shruti’s mother, Jayashree (‘Jaya’) Ramani, and Dr. Johri for breathing life and love into Shruti’s artistry and music. Shruti’s friendships and collaborations with her band members, Jodi, Noah, and Nick, have enabled her musicality to grow, encompassing the authentic and vibrant representation of her musical vocabulary. Her music emphasizes the joy she receives in respectfully marrying two cultures that inspire her deeply, to create a new sound, a new story, and a new beginning through Raagaverse. Her band members help her realize the musical stories her compositions tell, and the confluence of each member’s dynamic musical personality brings the music on “Jaya” to life.
After their first gig at the Fox Cabaret in 2022, the band named themselves "Raagaverse," to reflect the centering of Raagas in all of Raagaverse's music and conjure imagery of a universe full of modal melodies and jazz harmonies.
The colours of two rich musical traditions pioneered by people of colour bring a sense of age and richness to Raagaverse’s music while the fusion of these genres brings vibrancy and renewal. Raagaverse's music does not shy away from the complicated parts of being human, telling stories of love, grief, longing, and a sense of being called home. Lyrics in Raagaverse’s music are at once both ancient and have a sense of newness, making them relatable across time and place. With their debut album, “Jaya,” Raagaverse uncovers endless paths forward in the exploration and fusion of Hindustani and Jazz traditions, all the while guiding listeners towards somewhere gentle, beautiful, and magical – the Raagaverse.
Our activities take place on the unceded and traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples – sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.